An Organ Transplant Program That's Changing Lives
March 21, 2025
Right now, more than 100,000 Americans are waiting for a donated kidney. Yet only a fraction of them will receive one each year. But through Hackensack University Medical Center’s organ transplant program, adults are getting a second chance at life at a rate more than double the national average for similarly sized programs.
The program’s director, Michael Goldstein, M.D., says the program’s ability to save more lives is the result of careful planning. “Many initiatives helped direct this growth,” he adds.
Innovation and Collaboration
Maximizing the number of usable organs has played a large role in growing the transplant program and lowering wait times for adult and pediatric patients. “We have the shortest time to transplant within New Jersey and throughout the East Coast,” Dr. Goldstein says.
Hackensack University Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey to have on-site hypothermic machine perfusion, an innovative technology that maximizes oxygen and nutrients in deceased-donor kidneys before transplant. “We have shown that kidneys placed on machine perfusion perform better, giving patients a shorter hospital stay and better one-year kidney function,” Dr. Goldstein says.
The technology has enabled Hackensack University Medical Center to use kidneys from all over the U.S. with prolonged cold ischemia time — when a kidney is preserved in a special cold solution outside the body. The transplantation program works closely with three organizations that match living kidney donors with recipients: National Kidney Registry, Renewal Organ Procurement Organization and Dove, a kidney matching group.
This technology is one reason Hackensack University Medical Center has the best 1-year survival rate in New Jersey for kidney transplants, according to January 2025 data published by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR).
Another innovation that has helped make more organs available is to tackle the issue of organ rejection. “If a kidney is only partially compatible, we also have ways of making a patient’s immune system able to accept a kidney that isn’t a perfect match,” Dr. Goldstein says. “Using as many kidneys as we can receive helps us save more lives.”
Transplantation Destination
The organ transplant program draws patients from across the New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania tristate area. Its focus on increasing the number of usable organs has opened the door for lifesaving transplants to older, sicker patients who would otherwise have no options.
Over the last six years, the adult kidney transplant program has increased the number of transplants with organs from deceased donors by more than 500 percent. “Our program has grown exponentially in both the number of transplants and people joining our waiting list,” says Dr. Goldstein.
Because of this rapid growth, program leaders have guided other hospitals interested in growing their transplant programs. They have shared this experience with over 140 transplant centers through the Organ Procurement Transplantation Network, a public-private partnership that brings together donation and transplant professionals across the country.
The Crown Jewel
“Physician satellite offices at JFK University Medical Center and Jersey Shore University Medical Center allow new patients to begin the transplant evaluation process closer to home. Soon, we hope to offer after-transplant care in those centers, too.” Dr. Goldstein says.
The program's crown jewel is the new Helena Theurer Pavilion at Hackensack University Medical Center. The nine-story critical and surgical care tower, which opened in 2023, has state-of-the-art operating rooms and intensive care with standout patient and family comforts. All patient rooms are private and come with tablets, so patients can easily control lights, temperature and their TV. Plus, smart TVs allow patients to video chat with family and loved ones.
“Technologically, it’s one of the most advanced surgical towers now available in the United States,” Dr. Goldstein says. “It’s specifically designed to offer specialized care that can’t be given at other institutions.”
The organ transplantation program continues to look for new and better ways to expand access to lifesaving transplantation close to home. As a trailblazer upending the odds for patients in need, it is a beacon of hope in New Jersey and beyond.
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our source: Michael Goldstein, M.D.
- Schedule a consultation with a transplant surgeon near you or call 551-996-2608.
- Learn more about our organ transplantation program at Hackensack Meridian Health.
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
